Women’s health is at a crossroads. Countries endorsed global efforts to advance women’s health by adopting the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development and are taking them forward through the Sustainable Development Goals and the global strategy for women, children and adolescents’ health. To strengthen action as part of advancing the Health 2020 agenda, in September 2016the 66th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe will consider a strategy on women’s health and well-being in the WHO European Region in 2017–2021.

This report provides background to the strategy. It:

presents a snapshot of women’s health in the Region;

discusses the social, economic and environmental factors that determine women’s health and well-being;

focuses on the impact of gender-based discrimination and gender stereotypes;

considers what the concept of people-centred health systems would need to entail to respond to women’s needs; and

considers perspectives important for the international and national frameworks that govern women’s health and well-being in Europe.